§ 47. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the Prime Minister whether he can now hold out any prospect of the work of the present Session being completed not later than the middle of August; and, if not, whether, considering the valuelessness of most of the work transacted during the dog-days, he will consider the advisability of substituting September for August as a Parliamentary working month?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am sanguine enough to hope that the present Session will terminate at a date in August which I cannot yet precisely define.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEMay I ask what reasons the right hon. Gentleman has for his sanguine forecast?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt would take too long, I am afraid.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that if the date he indicates happens to be in the last week of August we shall still have to suffer the oppression due to the heat of the "dog-days"?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe "dog-days" are fixed by the calendar, but they do not always correspond with the state of the weather.